Self-igniter for burners.



T. G. AMSDEN.

SELF IGNITER FOB BURNERS.

APPLICATION HLED iULY 9.191s.

1,246,374. menwd Nov. 13, 191?.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

mmwmmm W 210 lg fm/swaemm i.

T G. AMSDEN.

SELF IGNHER FOR BURNERS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9. 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHE? 2.

wig??? w T. G. AMSDEN.

SELF lGNITER FOR BURNEHS.

my 5 APPLICATION FILED JULY 9,1915. lfifi 5% Patented N0v.-13,1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3- UNITED STATES PATENT onr on.

THOMAS G. AMSDEN, or roar ERIE, ONTARIO, cenena, AssIGnoR or ONE-HALF 'ro RICHARD F. rnReUson, or FORT ERIE, ONTARIO, cannon.

SELF-IGNITER roR BTTRNERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 9, 1915. Serial No. 39,027.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs G. AMSDEN, a subject of the King of England, residing at Fort Erie, county of Welland, Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Igniters for. Burners, of which the following is a specification.

My inventionrelates to anautoinatic igniting device for kerosene and other burners, and it relates more particularly to an igniting device for kerosene burning lanterns and the like.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of a simple and effective igniting device of this type which requires theactuation only of a single actuating element, and it further has for its object to provide-a device of this character wherein said actuating element may be actuated and a spark produced upon the final movement of said actuating element.

Another object is the provision of an abrading device associated with the actuating element and caused to actuate only during the final portion of the movement of said actuating element, for the purpose of causing the sparking device to emit sparks to ignite the burner.

Further objects of my invention are, the provision of an igniting device which requires only slight modification of the burner for application of the device thereto, and in which provision is made to prevent the kerosene or other illuminating fuel coming in contact with the operating parts of the device,particularly the friction or sparking stone, which becomes useless when-coated with kerosene or other illuminating fuel; and to otherwise improve on igniting devices of this character.

The invention consists in the novel fea tures of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter described and particularly pointed ou in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the lower portion of a lantern equipped with my improved igniting device.

Fig. 2 an enlarged vertical section taken on line Fig. 1. the actuating element or thrust rod being shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line :3-3, Fig. 2.

I Patented Nov.

Fig. at is a horizontal section taken on the plane indicated by line 4-4, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detached perspective View of the; spark producing device.

Fig. 6. is a detachedperspective view of the abrading member of said spark producing device. V

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section taken. on line. 7-7, Fig. l.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a modified form of spark producing device.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section taken on line 99, Fig. 8.

Reference being had to the drawings in detail, like numerals refer to like parts in the several figures. 7

The reference numeral 10 designatesthe oil receptacle of the lantern provided with my special burner 11. The oil receptacle may be made removable from the lantern, or may be a fixed portion thereof, as desired. Thisoil receptacle is fitted into the base 12 of the lantern which in this particular instance is provided with a chamber or receptacle 13 which surrounds said oil receptacle, said chamber being filled with absorb-- ent cotton or the like and a suitable liquid capable of being drawn to the'exterior of said chamber or receptacle by capillary attraction, for a purpose to be hereinafter de scribed.

The oil receptacle lO-has a central opening in its top wall for the reception of the burner 11, said burner being preferably in the form of a. hollow casing 14 having its upper portionenlai'ged to provide ashoulder 15 which is adapted to fit against the top wall of the oil receptacle. Said receptacle has inwardly extending lock ears 16 underneath which outstanding ears 17 formed on the burner are adapted to fit; this arrangement being provided to retain the burner on the oil receptacle.

The casing 1% is preferably cylindrical in cross section, but may be otherwise shaped if desired. the upper end of its walls'being recurved, as at 18, which recurveol portion serves as a guard to prevent kerosene or other oil from the wick entering the casing of the burner. Arranged centrally within the burner is the wick tube 19 through which a wick 20 is passed which enters the kerosene or other oil receptacle 10, drawing up the kerosene to the exposed end of the wick by capillary attraction, as isfcommon. Thev wick may be raised or lowered in the usual manner; a spindle 21 being provided which extends out through the body of the lantern and it has a disk at its outer end for rotating the spindle and a serrated or toothed wheel '23 at its inner'end which extends through an opening in the wick tube and engages the wick. A shield 24 is secured to the wick tube near its upper end, said shield being preferably made concavoconvex with its marginal portion curved upwardly, as at 25, to form an annular trough along the outer marginal portion of the shield, said shield being of a diameter somewhat greater than that of the burner so as to completely shield the same, and as the oil drawn upwardly to the exposed end of the wick works its way over the end of the wick tube and down the same it will be prevented by the shield 24 from reaching any portion of the operating parts of my device. The oil passes down the exposed upper end of the wick tube, working gradually outwardly on the shield and collecting in the trough 26; from which, if desired, it may be led back into the oil receptacle 10 by means of a tube (not shown), or may be removed from the trough by means of a cloth or other article having the qualities of absorbing liquid, it being simply necessary to press the cloth into the trough at one or more points, and when the kerosene or other liquid is absorbed the shield may be dried in any suitable manner. The kerosene is exceedingly slow in accumulating in the trough of the shield so that it does not require constant attention, but the shield is so formed with respect to the upper recurved end of the burner casing that if the lantern should be slightly tipped while an accumulation of kerosene is retained in the trough of the shield the overflow of oil from the shield would drip from the lowest point of the latter onto the recurved portion at the upper end of the burner casing. and from the latter it would drip outside of the burner, due to the fact that the inner half of the recurv-ed portion of the burner casing is fully within an area defined by a circular line passing centrally through the annular trough 26.

Arranged within the burner to one side of the wick tube is a box-like casing 27 which is soldered or otherwise fastened within the burner. This casing is best shown in Fig. 5 and has its upper end open, as at 28. It is provided at one edge with a tube 29 which extends outwardly through the body of the lantern, as at 30, Fig. 2.

31 designates the acuating element, which is in the form of a rod 32 extending through the tube 29 and having at its outer end a head or pressure plate 33 from which extends a thrust pin 34, said thrust pin being arranged parallel with the rod 32. Said rod is slidable within tube 29 and is pro-- vided at its inner end, within the casing 27, with an upstanding arm 35 having its upper end slotted, as at 36. In order that the actuating element be retained in normal position when depressed, a spring 37 is provided which is preferably secured to the exterior of the box-like casing 27 and this spring is constructed of wire coiled upon itself between its ends, as at 38; it having one end of the wire fastened to the receptacle 27, as at 39, and its other end bent inwardly to pass through a transverse slot 87 in said casing and into the slotted end of arm 35. Thus when the actuating element is thrust inwardly, the spring 37 is placed under tension, and as soon as pressure is released on the actuating element said spring returns said element to normal position.

40 designates an abraiding element in the form of a file or rasp, which is preferably curved and is carried by a lever 4L serving at times as a spring, the lever being designated hereinafter as a spring and being formed of wire coiled between its ends, as at 42, and having two parallel straight lined members 42 42*, extending from the coiled portion thereof, the end of one of said members being secured to said abrading element while the end of the otluer member is bent at right angles, as at 43, and bears against the first-mentioned member, and when said right-angled terminal 43 bears against the other member the spring serves as a free acting lever, the same being pivotally secured to the side wall of the casing with the axis of the pivot coincident with the axis of the coiled portion 42. Said right angled terminal 43 is adapted to enter the slotted end of the arm 35 and when the actuating element 31 is moved inwardly, the member 42 having said right-angled terminal is moved away from member 42 and thus places the coiled portion 42 under tension or increased tension, as the case may be, The abrading element is cut away along one side, as at 44, and secured thereto is a s iring lock member 45 which is adapted to be forced into the cut away portion at a certain time in the operation of the device, as will appear hereinafter. The abrading element 44 normally projects through an opening in one edge of the casing 27 with the free end 46 of said spring lock member 45 in contact with the inner surface of said wall adjacent said opening.

Fastened, o1 otherwise applied to the casing 27 is a holder 47 provided with a slideway 48 in which a sparking element or stone 49 is held, said stone having one end in contact with the abrading element 40. In order to automatically feed the sparking stone forwardly so as to retain the same in contact with the abrading element, a spring 5.0 is provided which bears against the opposite end of said stone, said spring having a coiled portion 51 between its ends which surrounds a stud 52 secured to the casing, one end of the wire forming said spring being comparatively short and being fastened to the casing 27, as at 53, while the other end is considerably longer, andhas at its tree end a curved portion 5a which bears against the sparkingstone.

The upstanding arm 35 of the actuating element 31 is positioned between one of the side walls of the casing 27 of thegabrading element lO, and whensaid actuating element is actuated said upstanding arm comes in contact with the spring lock member as and presses the same inwardly or into the cut away portion 44 of the a'brading element. This action causes the free end 46 of said lock member to be disengaged from the casing and thus the spring 41 which is placed under tension by movement of said actuating element to force the abrading element out-- wardly in the direction of the arrow 55, in Fig. 5, causes the sparking stone 49 to emit sparks.

Extending into the oil receptacle 13 is a tube 56, the upper end of which terminates in proximityto the inner end of the sparking stone. This tube has slidably arranged therein an igniter 0r controller 57, the upper end of which is provided with a valve 58 adapted to close against the upper open end of said tube. This igniter or controller is formed of a narrow strip of brass, or other metal, arranged'in spiral form, as at 59, with the convolutions thereof spaced fromcach other, and through the same is passedn cord 60 formed of-an'outer layer of asbestos -61 and a filling of cotton 62. This cord extends a considerable distance beneath "the metallic coil and lies at all times in contact with the saturated batting within said receptacle so that the ignitable liquid is drawn up along the cord by capillary attraction and is at all times saturated since it is confined within the tube 56, and particularly since the valve 58 closes the tube so thatthe air-cannot enter to cause evaporation of the liquid. This valve has a seg mentally shaped lever 68 pivotally connected thereto which extends downwardly there firm and is then curved to extend around the burner. Near its opposite end this lever is pivotally secui ed to the oil receptacle 10, as at 64:, and from this pivotal point it is bent downwardlypas at ,65, so that it lies in the path of the thrust pin 34 on the actuating element 31.

When applied to a lantern it is unnecessary to remove or lift the globe or chimney from its supportin order to light the burner, and with the parts in the positions shown in Fig. v2 it is simply necessary to press the actuating .element inwardly. This moves the upstanding slotted arm 35 from the post tion shown in full lines in Fig. 2 to that shown in dotted lines, and during this movement the spring 11 is placed under tension or increased tension, as the case may be, and at the same time the upstanding arm 35 travels incontact with the spring lock member of the abrading element and disene gages the end of the same from the wall of the casing 27. This disengagement, however, takes place only as the upstanding arm approaches the end of its movement, at which time the spring 411 acts to quickly and forcibly move the-abrading element from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 to that shown in dotted lines, which causes the sparking stone d9 to emit sparks.

hen the actuating element 31 is forced inward-1y, thethrust pin 3'11 is caused to engage the downwardly-directed extremity -65 of the lever 63 and causes the same to withdraw the ignitcr or controller fromthe tube 56, which igniter or controller being saturated with the infiammable liquid from the receptacle 13 becomes ignited from the sparks emitted by the sparking stone 59, and in its further upward movement directs the fiame from the igniter or controller against the exposed end of the wick, thus igniting the same. Upon relieving the actuating element 31 of pressure it is returned to normal position by the spring 37, as are the remaining parts actuated thereby.

In Figs. 8 and 9 a modification is shown in'which substantially the same actions are employed to cause the emitting of sparks from a sparking stone. In this modification 66 represents an .arm or support having a tube 67 secured thereto, said tube having slidably fitting into one end thereof a sec ond tube 68 which is closed at opposite ends. Tube 68 has an abradingelement 69 secured to one side thereof at its outer end, which lies in contact with a sparking element or stone 70 positioned within a holder .71 and adapted to be pressed :or automatically fed into contact with said abrading element by a suitable spring, such as disclosed in the preceding figures. Within the tube 68 is a coil spring 72 which bears with one end against the closed outer end of said tube, and has bearing against it at its other end the enlargementcr head 73 of a thrust pin 75. This thrust pin is arranged for longitudinal movement in tube 67 and passes through an opening in a transverse wall or abutment 76 in said tube. Said thrust pin is threaded at its outer end and to said threaded end an adjusting nut 77 is applied which bears against one end of a spring 78 surrounding said thrust pin, said spring 78 hearing with its other end against the wall or abutment 76. Slidable in tube 67 is an actuating tube 79 through whichthe thrust; pin 7 5 extends and in'which the vouterportion of spring 7 8 is confined. A disk nut- 80 is threaded onto the projecting end of said thrust pin and bears against the outer end of tube 79. Gne side of the tube 79 is provided with a longitudinal web 81 which enters a longitudinal slot 82 in tube 67 and thus prevents turning of tube 79 in tube 67. The inner end of said tube is beveled, as at 83.

Se designates a lock spring secured to the tube 68 and having at its tree end a hook 85 adapted to engage the wall or abutment 76 of tube 67, said hook having an inclined inner face 86 which is adapted to be engaged by the beveled end 83 of the web 81 to tree said lock spring from said wall or abutment.

In operating the device, pressure inwardly is eXerted against the disk nut 80 whereby the spring 78 is compressed and the enlargement or head C 3 ot the pin 75 is caused to compress the spring 72. This inward movement of the thrust pin is continued until the end of tube 79 engages the wall or abutment- 76, but just prior to said tube 79 coming in contact with said wall or abutment the beveled end 83 of web 81 engages the hook or" spring S lt, said book being disengaged from the wall. or abutment, whereupon the compression of spring 72 within tube 68 forces said tube quickly to the right in Fig. 9, thus causing sparks to be emitted from the sparking stone '20 which the abrading element 69 on said tube engages.

It is o1"- course apparent that this device may be applied to any form of burner, whether tor lighting or heating purposes, and that the principle involved may be embodied in various modifications without departing -from my invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what i claim is,

1. In an igniting device, the combination of a movable abrading element, a spring adapted to hold said abrading element at the end of its movement in one direction, a locking element adapted to lock said abrading element against movement, a second spring tending to move said abrading element, an actuating element serving to place said second spring under tension or increased tension and adapted to engage said locking element to release said abrading element and permit said second spring to move said abrading element quickly in the opposite direction, and a sparking element with which said abrading element contacts.

2. In an automatic igniting device, the combination with a support, of an actuating element movable on said support, a spring to hold said actuating element in normal position, a movable abrading element, a spring carrying said abrading element and having engagement with said actuating element,

said second-mentioned spring tending to move said abradingelement, a locking device for said abrading element adapted to be released during the final portion of the movement of said actuating element, said actuating element serving to place said secondmentioned spring under tension or increased tension so as to cause the abrading element to be moved quickly when said locking element is released, and a sparking element against which said abrading element contacts. p

3. In an automatic igniting device, the combination of a casing, an actuating rod movably mounted and having a slotted arm arranged in said casing, a spring fastened to said casing and having one end thereof entered into the slot of said arm, said spring serving to retain said actuating rod in normal position, a second spring also having one end thereof entered into the slot of said arm, an abrading element secured to the ther end of said last-mentioned spring, a spring lock on said abrading element adapted to engage a part of said casing and arranged to lie in the path of said slotted arm, said slotted arm serving upon manipulation of said actuating rod to place said last-mentioned spring under tension or increased tension and also to release said spring lock from said casing during the final portion of the movement of said actuating rod, and a spark ing stone spring-pressed against said abrad ing element.

4. In an automatic igniting device, the combination of a casing having a tubular extension thereon, an actuating rod slidable in said extension and entering said casing, said actuating rod having a slotted arm at its inner end, a spring secured exteriorly to said casing, a slot in said casing through which one end of said spring is passed so as to enter the slot of said arm, an abrading elementwithin said casing, a spring carrying said abrading el ment and having a portion entering the slot of said arm, a spring lock-member secured. to said abrading element and engaging one wall of said casing, said lock member being r leased from said wall during the final movement of said actuating rod and said second-mentioned spring being placed under tension or increased tension during the movement of said rod so as to quickly project said abrading element through said casing when said lock member is released, and a sparking element with which said abrading element contacts 5. In an automatic igniting device, a boxlike casing having a tubular extension, an actuating rod slidable in said extension and having an upstanding slotted arm at its inner end, a spring engaging said slotted arm and retaining said actuating rod in normal position, a second spring placed under tension by said slotted arm during the movement of said actuating rod, an abrading element carried by said second spring, means for locking said abrading element in normal position adapted to be released by said slotted arm during the final movement of said actuating rod, a sparking stone with which said abrading elementis in contact, and means for automatically retaining said sparking stone in contact with said abrading element.

6. In an automatic igniting device, the combination with a box-like casing having an opening in one of its side walls, a second opening in one of its edge walls and a tubular extension projecting from the opposite edge wall, of an actuating rod slidable in said tubular extension and extending into said casing, said rod having an upstanding slotted arm at its inner end, a wire spring secured exteriorly to said casing and having an angular arm at one end extending through the opening in the side wall of said casing and entering the slot of said arm, a second wire spring within the casing having an angular portion at one end also extending into the slot of said arm, a curved abrading clement secured to the other end of said second spring and adapted to be projected outwardly through the opening in the edge wall of said casing, a locking device to lock said abrading element against movement and adapted to be engaged by said slotted arm during a portion only of the inward movement of said actuating rod so as to re- 1 lease said abrading element and cause said second spring to quickly project said abrading element outwardl through said lastmentioned opening, and a sparking element in contact with said abracling element.

7. In an automatic igniting device, the combination with a fuel receptacle and a burner, of a sparking device'including an actuating element, a tube extending upwardly from said fuel receptacle and also downwardly into the same, a controller supplied with fuel from said receptacle by capillary attraction and being slidable in said tube, said controller having its lower end entering said receptacle, a lever secured to said controller and being adapted to be actuated by said actuating element to move said controller into the path of the sparks produced by said sparking device and also into a position adjacent said burner to ignite the latter.

8. In an automatic igniting device, the combination of a burner having a wick tube and a wick therein, a sparking device secured to said burner adjacent said tube and including a sparking stone, and a shield on said tube above said sparking device to prevent overflow oil from said wick coming in contact with said sparking stone.

9. In an automatic igniting device, the combination with a burner having a wick tube and a wick within said tube, of a shield secured to said tube near its upper end and comprising a eoncavo-convex circular member having its outer end provided with an annular upwardly facing trough.

10. In an automatic igniting device, an abrading element, an actuating element, a spring formed of wire coiled upon itself between its ends and pivotally secured by means of said coil, said wire being extended from said coil in two members, the end of one of which is secured to said abrading ele ment and the other having its free end adapted for engagement with said actuating element, a sparking element with which said abrading element is in contact, anda locking member for locking said abrading element in normal position, said actuating element serving to place the wire forming said spring under tension and also serving to unlock said locking member whereupon the tension of the wire forming said spring quickly moves said abrading element to cause said sparking element to emit sparks.

11. An automatic igniting device comprising an abrading element, a sparking element, and a spring formed of wire coiled between its ends and having two straight lined members extending from the coiled portion thereof, one of said members carryingsaid abrading element, means engaging the other member to place the wire under tension, and a locking member to hold the abrading element against movement and adapted to be unlocked to permit the tension of said spring to move said abrading element quickly and cause the sparking element to emit sparks.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

THOMAS G. AMSDEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

